Not long ago, conservatives like myself were thrilled to find out that Fox News, often portrayed as the mouthpiece of the conservative movement, had parted ways with former governor of Alaska (and quitter) Sarah Palin. This was truly a cause for celebration. Those of us devoted to building a conservative movement capable of winning elections had come to view the former governor as the symbol of everything, and I do mean everything, wrong with the modern conservative movement.

But now, Roger Ailes has rehired her. And in so doing, Ailes has issued a painful reminder that he cares far more about making money than he does about informing his viewers — or even winning elections for the Republican Party.

To be sure, I admire and recognize Palin's remarkable political ability. Her political instincts are sublime, as evidenced by the way crowds of very honorable and intelligent Americans connected with her during her campaign. But while having good political instincts may well make you a hit on the campaign trail, and might even score you a victory or two in elections, those who are all sizzle and no steak get found out soon enough. And never in the history of the United States has anyone ever been found out quite the way Gov. Palin was.

Before John McCain nominated Palin to be his running mate in 2008, the Republican Party was already in lousy shape. But Palin was rock bottom. She simply did not know enough to engage anyone on any matter of substance, and that was a highly damning fact that shaped the modern perception of the Republican Party. It plagued us in the last election, and continues to hamper us to this day. Because of Palin's lack of education on matters of substance, and because so many in the movement embraced her in spite of that utter cluelessness, most voters came to view the party as a movement driven by charismatic but uneducated leaders followed by hordes of hero worshipers too oblivious or uninterested to contemplate the sorts of disaster that might follow if someone like Palin were actually elected.

Thankfully, in the years since the disaster that was the 2008 election, many of the shooting star hacks who captured the imagination of conservatives have been discredited, disappeared, or were discredited and then disappeared. Palin did not run for president in 2012, and while Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, and Rick Santorum all had brief moments during the campaign, the Republicans settled on a startlingly serious group of candidates to run against Obama. I know, I know. Mitt Romney did not run a very solid campaign. But his failures as a candidate do not diminish what is undeniably true about the ticket: Mitt Romney is an incredibly bright, incredibly educated man who sported a resume that, by any measure, demonstrated that he had the brains and the background (if not the charisma) to become president of the United States. As for Paul Ryan, say what you will about him or his economic ideas, but it is hard to imagine a candidate less like Sarah Palin. Ryan is literally a deficit nerd who spent his time studying the nuances and details of the budget-making process. It's not sexy, but no one can accuse the man of not being serious minded.

Even though we lost in 2012, the candidates we Republicans chose was somewhat encouraging, if only because the choice combated a sinister and well-deserved perception: That the conservative movement was a party that rejected education, science, economics, and ideas generally. Then Fox got rid of Palin — a welcome turn. Instead of Palin, Fox would perhaps go get a guest that knows a few things about policy making. And Fox was much, much better for it.

Suddenly, Fox News was actually… not making the Republican Party look horrible. But then Roger Ailes reminded me why I loathed conservative media so much in the first place. Conservative media has never been about conservatism, and has always been about using conservatism as a vehicle to make money. Roger Ailes doesn't care about how the GOP is perceived or whether it wins elections. If Sarah Palin draws eyes, that's who he is going to put on TV. So back comes Sarah Palin to make conservatives look clueless, and on and on it goes. Sometimes I just want to cry.

Not long ago, conservatives like myself

You need your own comedy channel slick.

You need your own comedy channel slick.

To be fair, "Not long ago, conservatives like myself" is directly from the article.

Fox News and ALL of the other networks are out to make money, plain and simple. If you think that any network, whether Liberal or Conservative, is concerned about anything other than their bottom line you are truly misled.

Signature

Fox News and ALL of the other networks are out to make money, plain and simple. If you think that any network, whether Liberal or Conservative, is concerned about anything other than their bottom line you are truly misled.

Yeah, I see MSNBC is really concerned about their notion line as they bottom out.

And in so doing, Ailes has issued a painful reminder that he cares far more about making money than he does about informing his viewers

Sounds exactly like what every other "news" station does.

Because of Palin's lack of education on matters of substance, and because so many in the movement embraced her in spite of that utter cluelessness,

Hmmm, lack of education on matters of substance and utter cluelessness; Hank Johnson (D-GA) claimed that Guam would tip over and capsize from being over populated. I dont think Palin ever said anything THAT stupid. (Please note that I'm no Palin supporter - Just trying to keep it "FAIR AND BALANCED" LOL!)

90% of life is "showing up"

Not long ago, conservatives like myself
You need your own comedy channel slick.

What the heck are you talking about old man. Those words came from the article, I didn't even make a statement. You can't even blame the correct person for a statement made in an article. What a joke. You need a break from the internet.

Wolves don't lose sleep over the opinions of sheep

What the heck are you talking about old man. Those words came from the article, I didn't even make a statement. You can't even blame the correct person for a statement made in an article. What a joke. You need a break from the internet.

Your a joke, hypocrite!

Your boy your defending is a failure,stop defending him it makes you look like an idiot like that Jamaican fruit cake.You two need to get a room.

Tea Parties are for little girls with imaginary friends

Hilariousness at it's Foolishless : Op Start's - with a Lie - then Coverage or Exit

Here's one for YA

Send a Ugly Scarey OLD White Woman from Arkansas : { Razor Back }

{ WHO's } Husband cheat's on her { Every Opportunity he get's }

Too conduct Foreign International Policy among the Arab's and Muslim's and Asian's and what ever else they find

Place's where women are treated like property, or cattle, or less ---- have no right's or stature at ALL : ZERO - DIRT --because of the Islamic or Muslim or Sharia or what ever / what ever / they call it.

So they just blow em selves up with their belief looking for Virgin's -

Why their are out of Girley --Girls' ; " What Happen to Them "

Then Razor Back is going to tell them what too do or how too behave ???
That's Nutt's -- That's why they go mad !!!!!

Look at Hillary this way : NOT a POTUS : Not Presidential : A QUEEN !

Married to her Lieing, Cheating, Impeached efrocked KING whom dishonored and shamed the Country of the United States " Citizen's " through immoral behavior in the Peoples House; The WHITE HOUSE of HONOR

( I did NOT HAVE SEX WITH THOSE WOMEN }

X- King and New Queen: USA has Never done that one !

So when, and if, she get' to sit on the throne as Queen

She will get to sit on what is left : A Pile of Litter or Trash :

Saying " What's the Big Deal ?? " Any Way - GEt Over IT

They DIED at Bengazie and I lied my way out of it -have absolutely NO accountability for my responsibility

90% of life is "showing up"

If they weren't so mean-spirited and downright hateful, I might feel sorry for Governor Palin's detractors. They were so insistent that FOX News had kicked her to the curb and refused to renew her contract because she was, you know, irrelevant, no good, washed up, not a serious commentator. You've heard the nonsense before. And no matter how many times we tried to help them out and clue them in that Governor Palin was the one to make the decision not to renew her contract--despite the fact that this was verified--they continued in their self-delusion because...well, because that's what haters do. Yes, it would be so easy to give them sympathy, these souls who are always wrong. How they handle the repeated disappointment is beyond me. They're certainly beside themselves today, as FOX has announced that Governor Palin has rejoined the network:

Via Business Wire..

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin is rejoining FOX News as a contributor, announced Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of the network. Palin will appear on FOX News Channel’s (FNC) daytime and primetime programming, starting with FOX & Friends on Monday, June 17th. She will also contribute to FOX Business Network (FBN).

“The power of FOX News is unparalleled. The role of FOX News in the important debates in our world is indispensable. I am pleased and proud to be rejoining Roger Ailes and the great people at FOX.”

In making the announcement, Ailes said, “I’ve had several conversations with Governor Palin in the past few weeks about her rejoining FOX News as a contributor. I have great confidence in her and am pleased that she will once again add her commentary to our programming. I hope she continues to speak her mind.”

Author of two New York Times best-selling books, Palin rose to national prominence during the 2008 President election and has since made a mark as a political commentator. From January 2010 to January 2013, she served as a contributor for FNC. In 2010, Palin was named to Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” list.

Governor Palin stated, "The power of FOX News is unparalleled. The role of FOX News in the important debates in our world is indispensable. I am pleased and proud to be rejoining Roger Ailes and the great people at FOX."

The RC discussion world needs to consolidate. RR is now one choice for that.
Its software is cutting edge. It hosts on-topic advertising.
Help RR increase traffic buy making suggestions, posting in RR's new areas (sites) and by spreading the word.